Welcome to today’s exclusive & comprehensive round-up of all things Bayern Munich from Bayern insider Christian Falk. Featuring updates on Michael Olise, Dayot Upamecano, Harry Kane, and Marc Guehi.
Today’s top stories
- Are Bayern Munich worried about Harry Kane’s future?
- Could Manchester City replace Rodri with Aleksandar Pavlović?
- Is a Premier League return on the cards for Michael Olise?
- And plenty more on Dayot Upamecano, Cody Gakpo, Marc Guehi, and more!
On the first weekend of Oktoberfest, it was an unofficial party for the Bayern team. There was Vincent Kompany with the team in the Schützenfestzelt. It’s very famous for the music! I saw Nicolas Jackson, and I think he was a little bit surprised by the big beers. He was the only player without any lederhosen – he has to get one because it looked a little bit strange without!
It’s like a family feast, because when you are there, there are always the same spots where you meet your nearest and dearest. So, on Thursday, I first went to Käfer; it’s very famous because on the last weekend of the Oktoberfest there will be the official Bayern Wiesn with the players, where they’re they’re allowed to drink. I met Giovane Élber there, a legend, of course, and he was with Claudio Pizarro, another legend, who also played for Chelsea. You go from one tent to another tent, and then everywhere there is somebody you know. There’s a lot of football heritage in the tent. On Thursday, for example, Jens Lehmann, also an Arsenal legend, was present – he’s really famous for being at the Oktoberfest because last year he was silly enough to head back home in his car. The police caught him, so he had a little bit of a problem, but I think this time he was without the car!
The state of play at Bayern Munich after gameweek 5
Bayern Munich are playing very well; the team is a team. Also, new signing Luis Diaz is now clearly fitting into the larger picture. You see, in this shape, they are really a team that can win the Champions League. But the squad is not as big as last year’s nor in the years they won the Champions League. They have to be careful to avoid further injuries at the moment. Jamal Musiala is already injured from the Club World Cup, Alphonso Davies is still injured, and Hiroki Ito is injured. Ito, of course, is not as important a player for the first-XI, but you need players like him. And so at the moment, everything is fine, but there shouldn’t be more injuries.
Will Harry Kane stay or will he go?
Harry Kane’s future is a big topic here in Munich. I think Kane is in the form of his life. His education at Bayern Munich has undoubtedly helped. Max Eberl, the head of sport, already said he’s improved at Bayern Munich. He was a big star before he came to the Allianz Arena, of course, but now he’s playing a little bit more like a winner. You know, this is the “siegermentalität” in Germany, the DNA of Bayern Munich. He’s scoring and scoring and scoring. But the contract is a concern. We shared the story about his release clause, which he has to activate in the winter if he wants to leave next summer. And the next summer, you know, there is the World Cup. And after the World Cup, he has just one more year left. Bayern Munich can’t give him away without a transfer fee – they paid a lot of money for him. And that’s why the question has to be – will he use it this winter or not? There are plenty of rumours flitting about. He’s interested, of course, in Alan Shearer’s goalscoring record, but he’d like to win big silverware like the Champions League. Ultimately, if you want to win it, I think the best moment is at Bayern Munich. So this will be a big decision because otherwise he has to sign a new contract. And that will be a question of money because he’s earning about €24m [£20.9m] a year (gross). Bayern won’t give him more because he’s not getting younger. So this will be a big discussion.
Are Liverpool interested in Dayot Upamecano?
It is true that Liverpool are looking at Dayot Upamecano. Bayern have been trying to give Upamecano a new contract for months. I think it’s coming up to a year of talks! And the time is running out, because next summer he’s a free agent, and it makes him so interesting for many, many clubs. Liverpool, of course, have the same situation with Ibrahima Konate – he’s also going to be a free agent next summer. And yes, if Liverpool can get a player like Dayot Upamecano for free, that’s pretty good business. That said, every top club in the world is looking at him; I heard that Real Madrid is very, very interested in him. Also, the player is understood to be on the list at Manchester United and PSG. David Alaba, a former Bayern player, was a free agent when he went to Real Madrid from Bayern. And Toni Rüdiger, he was also a free agent. Bayern Munich were interested before he moved from Chelsea to Real. Now both are set to become free agents next summer. I don’t think they’ll get new contracts in Madrid. And that’s why Real Madrid have also got an eye on Dayot Upamecano. With Liverpool, we now have another big side ready to take part in the poker. That makes it very hard for Bayern Munich, as I heard that the Bundesliga champions don’t want to pay him the salary he’s looking for. That’s why things have gone a little bit quiet about his contract talks, which could be really dangerous for Bayern, as he’s very important for the defence.
The Premier League misses Michael Olise
I think on the island, they see what a big player Michael Olise is. When Bayern Munich triggered his release clause at Crystal Palace, there was just Newcastle involved in the poker with Bayern Munich, so they could make it work. I think if, at that point, Liverpool or City had also been at the table, it would have been really more complicated. But now they see what a player he could be. At Bayern Munich, he’s the player of the year, based on early performances. I talked with Thomas Müller about him, and he said he’s the new leader in the team. He’s not talking a lot, but he’s always showing, “Give me the ball and I will make something special”. And now, yes, teams like Liverpool, and I heard also Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City are watching him very, very closely. And because Bayern bought the player for €60m [£52.3m] from Crystal Palace, if an interested party pays a price over the €100m [£87.2m] mark – Bayern Munich have to think about it. But they want to keep him, and now they’re trying to give him a new contract so that they don’t lose him.
Could Aleksandar Pavlović be Rodri’s successor?
It’s true: Manchester City are looking at Aleksandar Pavlović as a long-term Rodri successor because he’s doing very well at Bayern Munich. There’s always a good and a bad side to this. The good side is that he’s playing so well he’s interesting for the Premier League. The bad side is that the Premier League can pay a lot more. And yes, his salary at Bayern Munich could be up to €8m [£6.9m] (gross), we heard. But in England, of course, they can pay more. And, ultimately, the system Man City play now isn’t so different to the one when City first made a deal for Rodri. Bayern Munich were also the table for him, but when City are knocking, it can get really difficult for Bayern. Now, you see, if City are searching a successor, they can identify the same profile again in Pavlović. That’s why it’s really really hard for Bayern, as he’s a player from Munich, a product of the club. He’s doing very well, but he’s not already at this level where he can be considered a crucial cog for club and country. So Bayern Munich have to be aware that they need to give him a new contract in order to save him for the Bundesliga.
The Bayern Munich summer transfer window review
Gabriel Martinelli
Bayern were interested in Martinelli in the last summer window, this is true! Indeed, he was a topic on a long, long list – certainly considerably lower on the list than Nico Williams and Jamie Gittins. However, they didn’t get either of the two, so they had ideas about new players and Martinelli indeed was one of the players. I heard that Bayern Munich would paid €30m-35m [£26.1m-30.5m] and that wasn’t enough of for Arsenal. They said, “No, we don’t have to talk about that”. But there were talks with Martinelli’s agents. And I’m happy that my colleague, the transfer insider, Fabrizio Romano, also confirmed this was the case.
It’s also true that Thomas Tuchel had discussed signing Martinelli during his time at Bayern. It was one of his ideas. He knows the Premier League very well, of course, from his time at Chelsea. And he made many proposals for players from this period. Martinelli was one of them. Also, Mason Mount was an idea of Tuchel’s. And now, you know, if you are on a short list at Bayern Munich, you can stay there for a while and become an idea for later. And so, you see, he’s a profile Bayern admire!
It’s a name fans should keep an eye on because the squad is not big enough for Vincent Kompany. If Bayern Munich end up losing another player it raises uncomfortable questions. Bayern fans will be more than aware of the fact that Kingsley Coman left this summer, and there was a big question mark over whether they could afford to sell him. This is why they had to go for Nicolas Jackson, but he’s just a player on loan! So it’s not immediately clear if he will still be playing for Bayern Munich next year. There are exciting talents like Lennart Karl who can offer some depth, but for the first line of attack you need clear experience. So, they have to keep an eye on many, many players. Again, for the wings, it was a hard search, but Bayern Munich made a decision to complete an important deal really early in the transfer market in order to avoid putting pressure on themselves down the line.
Cody Gakpo
It’s true that Bayern Munich did look at Cody Gakpo in the summer transfer window. I’m very happy to confirm this as well because, when we discuss the incredible number of names on the transfer list, I always say I can’t believe Bayern Munich are talking with so many players. But in this case, Gakpo himself confirmed the story was true! There were talks. But at the end, things didn’t get so concrete because Bayern Munich went for his Liverpool teammate Luis Diaz. Nonetheless, there were talks with Gakpo’s agents, so you see he is also one player Bayern think is interesting for the club, and he will remain on the shortlist of Bayern Munich.
For context, the first three places on the winger shortlist at Bayern were devoted to Nico Williams, Jamie Gittens, and Luis Diaz. There were also concrete ideas at the club to pursue Rafael Leão, but I think in this range of the top five we can also consider Cody Gakpo included! Of course, there are a few individuals at the club who have their own unique list, and they are the really major decision-makers at the club. But on Max Eberl’s shortlist, I understand that Gakpo was in the top five.
Dean Huijsen
It’s true that Bayern Munich were interested in Dean Huijsen. The Spaniard was number one on the list for the defence. Bayern Munich have had an eye on the centre-back for quite some time, and they wanted to go for him this summer. However, the problem was they couldn’t manage to sell Kim Min-jae – and they needed this money to go for Dean Huijsen and activate his release clause. At the end, Real Madrid paid €63m [£54.9m]. But he was not only in the focus of Bayern Munich! Borussia Dortmund wanted the player last summer, when they had to decide between Waldemar Anton, the German national player, and Huijsen, but it was too late. If clubs like Real Madrid knock on the door, thing get difficult for Bayern Munich. But also his agent, Ali Barat, confirmed that Bayern Munich had asked for him. There were also Liverpool, Tottenham, and Newcastle all involved in the conversation. However, in the end, Dean Huijsen decided for Real Madrid.
Bayern did discuss handing Eric Dier a contract extension. They needed another defender, but the need was greater in the forward line. Bayern Munich didn’t want to spend so much money also on the back four. But you see, they have a shortlist for defenders. I think Dean Huijsen will now be off the mark for quite a long time. That said, there is a player in the Premier League they still have an eye on.
Marc Guehi
It is true that Bayern are interested in Marc Guehi. He became the number one target when Dean Huijsen fell off the market. However, Bayern still had the same problem – they had to sell Kim Min-jae first! There were talks with Saudi Arabian clubs, but in the end, he stayed at Bayern Munich. Otherwise, Guehi would have become another player for Bayern Munich. They’ve already made a really, really good deal with a player from Crystal Palace in Michael Olise. So they see that the quality is there. And the important thing is he’s still on the list of Bayern Munich for the next summer. But as everyone knows, Liverpool and Palace were really close on this deal; they were already in agreement with the player. But at the end, Oliver Glasner said, “No, I need this player”. Now we have to wait another year. But as I now understand it, Guehi has an eye on Real Madrid and Real Madrid have an eye on him. So it could be good news for Bayern Munich if the La Liga giants get him – perhaps they won’t lose Dayot Upamecano. However, as I already mentioned, if Alaba and Rüdiger are leaving the club, they’ll need to sign two defenders.
It’s true that Castello Lukeba is also on the list. He’s an interesting player for Bayern Munich as well. In the years before Max Eberl, Bayern Munich always had a main target who they were hellbent on signing above all else. Max Eberl is working a little bit more like the Premier League clubs with a shortlist, keeping track of a number of targets who may fall below the number one or two target just in case they’re not on the market. But I think this strategy has always brought Bayer Munich success. If you don’t get the big names, international names – get players from the Bundesliga. They know the Bundesliga; they can improve and develop at Bayern Munich. This would also represent a sound transfer strategy. But don’t forget: Konaté was a player also from Leipzig. He could be on the market next summer as a free agent. Bayern Munich also have an eye on him.
Ademola Lookman
It was true that Bayern were interested in Ademola Lookman towards the end of the summer window. We have to say that, at this time, Bayern Munich were already talking with Nicolas Jackson and his management, Ali Barat from Epic Sports. But they had to reach out to a few other players, as they didn’t know if it would work out. So, Lookman was on this list and, yes, there was contact. However, at the end, when Bayern Munich saw that there was a chance to get Nicolas Jackson, this topic was over. So, in the end, they had to talk again with him. In the last few days, Nicolas Jackson was a complicated deal, but Bayern got it over the line.
Franculino Djú
It’s true that Bayern were interested in FC Midtjylland’s Franculino Djú. He would have been a cheaper option. I heard this was the idea of Christoph Freund, the director of sport, who works under Max Eberl. He was working for Salzburg, and he has an idea about how to develop this kind of player. In the end, it was the price – about €20m-25m [£17.4m-21.8m] – they talked about. But at this point, the bosses on Bayern’s supervisory board made it clear that the club was only allowed to commit to loan deals. Midtjylland didn’t want a loan, they wanted to sell him – so then the transfer talks were over.
Antony
It’s true that Bayern wanted to sign Antony on deadline day. And it was a very, very interesting deal because Bayern Munich already had him on the list from back when he was playing for Ajax. But then he decided on the Premier League. A loan spell at Real Betis, however, reminded them that he has the skills they need for their team. But it was also at the point where they talked about money. Bayern Munich offered a salary of €7m [£6.1m], which is a lot of money. But in the end, Antony felt so comfortable in Spain. He was on loan there and said, “No, I don’t want to make another step in another new league. I want to stay at this club.” So Betis made the deal.
Raheem Sterling
It’s true that Bayern also wanted to sign Raheem Sterling on deadline day, and this was perhaps the biggest surprise in this transfer market. You can see how nervous Bayern Munich was on the deadline day, in terms of whether or not they could get Nicolas Jackson. So there was the idea that, if you don’t get the one Chelsea player you’re after, perhaps you take another one. Sterling, of course, is a really big name, and everybody know he has quality. Everyone also knows that he has problems at the moment at Chelsea. Either way, Bayern Munich said he could be a good backup option. Perhaps they could get a big name even more cheaply. But, as we heard, Raheem Sterling made it clear he wasn’t interested in this transfer. So it was a topic, but in the end, it was clear that there would be no chance. So, a deal for Nicolas Jackson had to work.
Marking Bayern Munich’s summer transfer window
Our grading system in Germany ranks from one (being the best) to six (the worst). So, if you speak to Max Eberl or Uli Hoeneß, Bayern Munich feel that they had a really good transfer window. However, in our view, you have to point out that the main target was Florian Wirtz – and they didn’t get him. The second top target was Nick Woltemade, and he also ended up in the Premier League, signing for Newcastle. Bayern also missed out on Nico Williams and Jamie Gittens. Luis Diaz was a really good deal, but he wasn’t considered the number one, absolute top target. So, taking all of that into consideration, we settled on a score of minus four.
A big “prost” from Munich as long as the Oktoberfest is still running!
→ READ MORE: The Bayern Insider: Munich interested in Liverpool target Marc Guehi
